Gayton

"Gayton is a scattered village, on an eminence above Trent Valley, one mile N of Weston Railway Station and six miles NE of Stafford, commanding a fine view of Sandon column, the plantations of the Earl of Harrowby, and the picturesque ruins of Chartley Castle, and near it run two rivulets of clear water. Its parish contains 291 inhabitants, and 1475 acres of fertile, loamy land, of which Earl Ferrers is the principal owner, and lord of the manor.
Near the church is Moat House, the property of John Fitzgerald, Esq, and at a distance of one mile W is Hartley Green, a hamlet of five farms. The wake is on the nearest Sunday to St Peter's day."

Census

Church History

"The Parish Church, St Peter, was partly rebuilt about 120 years ago, and appears to have been much larger, for it is said that an ancient tomb, now in the churchyard, with a recumbent effigy of one of the Ferrers family upon it, was formerly in one of the aisles. The perpetual curacy is in the patronage of the Mrs Mould, and the incumbency is held, with that of Stowe, by the Rev William Hides, BA."
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William
White, Sheffield, 1851]

Church Records

Church of England RegistersThe parish register of the church of St Peter commences in 1593. The original registers for the period 1593-1926 (Bapts), 1593-1836 (Mar) & 1593-1812 (Bur) and Banns for the period 1755-1823 are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.
Bishops Transcripts, 1661-1856 (with gaps 1759-69) are deposited at Lichfield Record Office.